1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus such as an inkjet printing apparatus having a plurality of inkjet heads configured to eject ink droplets.
2. Description of Related Art
A known inkjet printing apparatus includes four inkjet heads arranged adjacently to each other in a direction where a recording sheet is fed, e.g., a sheet feed direction, and a maintenance unit configured to perform maintenance of the inkjet heads. The maintenance unit includes a blade or wiper configured to wipe ink adhering to a nozzle surface, e.g., a liquid ejection surface of each inkjet head. When the maintenance unit is in a purge position, the heads are purged. While the maintenance unit moves from the purge position to a withdrawal position, ink adhering to the nozzle surface during purging is wiped by the blade, and maintenance of the inkjet heads is performed.
However, as the four inkjet heads are arranged only adjacently to each other in the inkjet printing apparatus, minute gaps are formed between the nozzle surfaces of the heads. When ink mist and airborne dust in the inkjet printing apparatus and ink adhering to the nozzle surfaces are collected by the blade, they spread in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the blade, and ester and remain in the gaps. Ink and foreign matter collected in the gaps may drop down from the gaps. If the in drops down front the gaps during printing, it may soil a recording sheet, and reduce print quality. In addition, if the ink is accumulated in the gaps, ink may be spread onto the nozzle surfaces when the nozzle surfaces are wiped by the blade, and the nozzle surfaces may be soiled, reducing print quality.